Where ChatGPT ads appear

Ads show up inside ChatGPT's responses as sponsored listings. OpenAI labels them clearly and sets them apart from the answer itself3. The example in OpenAI's launch post is a sponsored grocery kit, with price and cook time, shown after a recipe answer.

Ads are matched to the topic of the conversation, past chats and past interactions with ads. When several advertisers fit, ChatGPT shows the most relevant one first3. OpenAI says ads are not eligible near sensitive or regulated topics such as health, mental health and politics6.

Two newer formats are being tested in the US:

  • Sponsored Agents (from September 16, 2026). After clicking an ad, a user can open a separate, labeled conversation with an agent run by the business78.
  • Visual ads during image generation (announced October 5, 2026). These are labeled visual ads shown while ChatGPT creates an image, kept separate from the image itself9.

OpenAI says more formats, objectives, buying options and measurement tools are coming, without giving dates5.

Who sees ads, and who doesn't

Ads appear for logged-in adults on the Free and Go plans. Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Education accounts don't get ads, and neither do accounts where the user says they're under 18 or OpenAI predicts they are3. Free users can turn ads off in exchange for fewer daily messages3. There's more detail for users in Does ChatGPT have ads?

How advertisers buy ChatGPT ads

There are two routes. The self-serve Ads Manager, launched in beta on May 5, 2026, lets businesses register, add payment details, set budgets, bids and pacing, upload ads, and track performance4. The other route is OpenAI's agency and technology partners: Dentsu, Omnicom, Publicis and WPP on the agency side, and Adobe, Criteo, Kargo, Pacvue and StackAdapt as technology partners4.

The pilot began in February with a small group of advertisers buying on CPM. CPC bidding arrived with Ads Manager, and CPM buying continues4.

Targeting and measurement

Ad groups in Ads Manager are reported to use "context hints", plain-language descriptions of the conversations an ad should match, instead of keyword lists. Campaigns can also be limited to the iOS app, the Android app or the web5.

For measurement, OpenAI offers a Conversions API and pixel that track actions such as purchases, leads and sign-ups. Advertisers get aggregated insights4. OpenAI says advertisers don't see users' chats, chat history, memories or personal details, only aggregate performance such as views and clicks3.

What ChatGPT ads cost

OpenAI doesn't publish a rate card. Trade reports put launch pricing near a $60 CPM, with CPMs as low as $25 reported later and suggested CPC starting bids of $3 to $51011. Self-serve has no minimum commitment, though a $25 minimum daily budget has been reported for US accounts125. Our ChatGPT ads cost guide has the full pricing history and a budget calculator.

Where ChatGPT ads are available

After the US launch, ChatGPT ads reached Canada, Australia and New Zealand, then the UK, Japan, South Korea, Mexico and Brazil, then 31 European countries, India, select Middle East and North Africa countries, Southeast Asia and Taiwan. On October 21, 2026, OpenAI added 26 more countries, for 89 in total135132. See every confirmed ChatGPT ads market with launch dates.

The principles OpenAI published

Before the test began, OpenAI set out five principles for ads in ChatGPT6:

  • Mission alignment. Ads exist to support broader access to AI.
  • Answer independence. Ads don't influence ChatGPT's answers.
  • Conversation privacy. Chats stay private from advertisers, and user data isn't sold.
  • Choice and control. Users can turn off personalization and clear ad data.
  • Long-term value. OpenAI says it doesn't optimize for time spent in ChatGPT.

These are OpenAI's commitments. We haven't seen a published independent audit of them.

Timeline

  1. ChatGPT ads expand to 89 countries

    OpenAI added 26 countries, including 14 in Latin America, and said more than 100,000 advertisers have run campaigns since launch.125

  2. Visual ads during image generation announced

    OpenAI said it would test clearly labeled visual ads shown during ChatGPT image generation in the US, kept separate from generated images.9

  3. OpenAI names measurement partners and brand-suitability pilots

    OpenAI named conversion, attribution and incrementality partners including LiveRamp, AppsFlyer, Adjust, Branch and Haus, and pilots with DoubleVerify and IAS to evaluate its safeguards.1415

  4. ChatGPT ads reach Southeast Asia and Taiwan

    Ads launched in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Taiwan; OpenAI described availability as more than 60 countries.165

  5. OpenAI tests Sponsored Agents

    Users who click some ads can start a separate, labeled conversation with a business-sponsored agent. OpenAI also added AI tools for advertisers and HubSpot and Shopify integrations.78

  6. Self-serve Ads Manager opens beyond the US

    OpenAI opened self-serve buying across India, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, and said ads were rolling out in select Middle East and North Africa countries. A $1 billion annualized ad run rate was also reported around this time.131217

  7. ChatGPT ads expand to 31 European countries

    OpenAI's largest single expansion brought ads to Free and Go users in 31 European markets, including Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Ireland, Poland and the Netherlands.518

  8. OpenAI confirms ads in five more countries

    OpenAI updated its ads post to say ads had launched in the UK, Mexico, Brazil, Japan and South Korea. Mexico and Brazil were separately reported live on August 17.319

  9. ChatGPT ads reach Japan and South Korea

    Ads were reported live in Japan and South Korea, the first non-English markets, with UK self-serve opening the same day.5

  10. ChatGPT ads go live in the UK

    OpenAI's VP of monetization announced UK ads were live. UK self-serve buying followed on June 22 (reported).205

  11. UK, Mexico, Brazil, Japan and South Korea named as next markets

    OpenAI said its ads pilot would expand to five more countries in the coming weeks.321

  12. OpenAI launches self-serve Ads Manager with CPC bidding

    US businesses could sign up and buy ChatGPT ads directly. OpenAI added CPC bidding alongside CPM, plus a Conversions API and pixel, and named agency and technology partners.422

  13. ChatGPT ads live in Canada, Australia and New Zealand

    OpenAI's release notes confirmed ads rolling out to Free and Go users in the three markets.2324

  14. OpenAI plans first markets outside the US

    OpenAI said early results were encouraging and that pilots in Canada, Australia and New Zealand would start in the coming weeks.325

  15. ChatGPT ads go live in the US

    OpenAI began showing labeled ads to logged-in adults on the Free and Go plans in the US. Early pricing was reported at a $60 CPM with large minimum commitments.326

  16. OpenAI announces ChatGPT ads test and ad principles

    OpenAI said it would test ads for logged-in adults on the Free and Go plans in the US, and published principles including answer independence and conversation privacy.6